Needle selection device



Filed July 11, 1962 Fig.1

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NEEDLE SELECTION DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet l I anmbn) HUI" HFI

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NEEDLE SELECTION DEVICE Filed July 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6

Dec. 21, 1965 v. LUCHI NEEDLE SELECTION DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledJuly 11, 1962 WW I. fink.- 4%

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United States Patent 3,224,226 NEEDLE SELECTION DEVICE Vinicio Luchi,Florence, Italy, assignor to Solis Societa a Responsabilita Limitata,Florence, Italy, a corporate body of Italy Filed July 11, 1962, Ser. No.209,116 Claims priority, application Italy,July 17, 1961, 13,435/61;Oct. 10, 1961, 18,597/61 9 Claims. (Cl. 66-50) The present inventionrelatesto a selective control device for the jacks and needles of aknitting machine, particularly a circular knitting machine of the typein which a rotary needle cylinder is provided with grooves in which theneeedles and corresponding jacks are mounted for sliding movement.

In the apparatus of the invention, the jacks are controlled to formpatterns including tuck stitches and other patterns.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the jacks have buttsdisposed at eight circumferential levels. A first group of four jackshas butts at four adjacent levels located along a first circumferentialarc, and a second group of four jacks has butts at four other adjacentlevels located along a second circumferential arc. Each group of jackshas shorter butts of the same length at the respective four adjacentlevels, and each jack of each group has one longer butt. The longerbutts are located at different levels and cause the formation of tuckstitches by the respective needles. Selected butts of the shorter buttscan be omitted, or removed for forming a selected pattern different fromthe tuck stitch pattern.

Preferably, eight slider cams are provided which are inclined to theaxis of the needle cylinder and to the horizontal levels along which thebuttsof the jacks are located. The slider cams are mounted on astationary support for movement between a retracted position and anoperative position for engaging the butts at corresponding levels, andsince the slider cams are inclined, the respective jacks are raised andraise the corresponding needles.

Rotary cams control cam followers which act on the slider cams toadvance the same to operative positions located in the paths of movementof the butts of the jacks, and the cam followers can becontrolled tocause movement of the slider cams to positions cooperating with thelonger butts, or with the shorter butts, respectively.

The shorter butts permit the forming of very different patterns sincedifferent shorter butts can be removed for producing different patterns.The longer butts, which serve to form tuck stitches, must not be omittedor removed.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the operative slider camsdo not fully raise the jacks, but each jack has a recess at theuppermost level, and a shoulder of the recess engages, if thecorresponding jack is raised by a slider cam, a stationary cam followingthe slider earns in the direction of rotation of the needle cylinder.The stationary cam is inclined and raises every jack which was raised bya slider cam to a higher level so that the corresponding needle israised as required by the pattern.

If a jack is not engaged and raised by a slider cam, the recess remainsbelow the'level of the stationary cam so that the respective jack andneedle are not raised at all.

In a modified embodiment of the invention, two feeding stations forfeeding yarn to the needles are provided for each selecting station atwhich slider cams are located. In this embodiment, additional ascendingand descending cams are provided which permit a rapid raising andlowering of the needles directly before the corresponding jack moves toa position cooperating with the, slider cams. These additional cams aremounted on slides, and are advanced to an operative position by thestandard pattern control device of the knitting machine to cause theknitting of a course of plain stitches of yarn fed at the auxiliaryfeeding station before the needle forms a pattern under the control ofthe slider cams and jacks of yarn fed at the main feeding station.

The invention will be best understood with reference to the followingdescription of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating first and second groups offour jacks;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic developed view illustrating a plurality ofjacks arranged along a circumferential arc of the needle cylinder;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a stationary frame supportingslider cams cooperating with a jack, the needle cylinder being omittedfor the sake of simplicity;

FIG. 4 is a view in the direction of the arrows IV in FIG. 5 andpartially in cross section;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, partiallyin horizontal section;

FIG. 6 is an elevation viewed in the direction of the arrow VI in FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus on a reduced scale,and partially in a horizontal" section;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line VIIIVIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modi= fied embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 10 is an elevation as view in the direction of the arrows X-X inFIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a schematic developed view showing the position of auxiliarycams and including a diagram illustrating the needle operations; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic developed view illustrating the control of theneedles by slider cams and jacks, and including a diagram illustratingthe needle operations.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, eightjacks are shown which are provided with butts at eight different levelsA to H. The first group of jacks 101 to 104 is located along acircumferential arc of the needle cylinder, and a second group of jacks201 to 204 is located along an adjacent arc. Jacks 101 to 104 have buttsonly at the levels E to H, while jacks 201 to 204 have butts only at thelevels A to D. The butts are designated in FIG. 1 by the referencenumeral of the respective jack and by one of the letters from A to H forrepresenting the respective level. Each jack has three short butts andone long butt, the long butts being disposed at diiferent levels. Forexample, the long butts 101H, 102G, 103F and 104E are located at thelevels H toE, and the long butts 201D, 202C, 203B, 204A are located atthe levels D to A. Each jack has a recess 300 provided with a shoulderat the level A. Recesses 3000f jacks 201 to 204 are located under thecorresponding butts provided at this uppermost level.

The short butts of the jacks are removable, and one butt is omitted inevery second jack in the arrangement of jacks shown in FIG. 2. p

A set of slider cams 11A to 11H is mounted on a stationary frame block16 for movement in substantially radial direction toward the needlecylinder 51, as best seen in FIG. 7, in order to cooperate with thebutts of the jacks which are mounted in axial grooves of the needlecylinder. A slider cam is provided at each level A to H. If a slider camis partly advanced, it will cooperate with a long butt of a jack, and ifa slider cam is fully advanced it will cooperate with a short butt of ajack. As clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the slider cams are platesinclined to the horizontal levels A to 'H, and consequently, a jackwhose butt engages the Patented Dec. 21, 1965 upper surface of astationary slider cam in its operative position will slide up theinclined top surface of the respective slider cam while the jack rotateswith the rotating needle cylinder whereby the jack, and the needle abovethe same are raised. However, the slider cams 11A to 11H are capable ofonly partly lifting the jacks and the needles to the required height. Inorder to complete the lifting of the jacks and of the correspondingneedles, a stationary inclined cam 12 is provided, whose position isbest seen in FIG. 6. The stationary cam 12 is inclined at the same angleas the slider cams, and forms a continuation of the uppermost slider cam11A. However, the stationary cam 12 projects farther toward the needlecylinder, as best seen in FIG. 3, and cooperates with a shoulder ofrecess 300.

If none of the butts of a jack is engaged by slider cam, the recessremains in a position which is so low that it passes under thestationary cam 12. If any jack is lifted by one of the slider cams 11Ato 11H, the shoulder of recess 300 is placed at the level of thestationary cam 12, and engaged by the same during further turning of therespective jack with the rotary needle cylinder. The stationary cam 12raises the jack higher than the slider cam so that the respective needleis raised to the desired position since the upper end of the jackengages the lower end of the needle in the same groove of the needlecylinder.

Since the shoulder of recess 300 is located at the uppermost level A,the lower edges of the corresponding butts of jack 201 to 204 formcontinuations of this shoulder, as shown in FIG. 1.

In order to produce a tuck stitch pattern, the slider cams of groups 11Ato 11D, or 11E to 11H, respectively, are cyclically advanced toward theneedle cylinder according to the type of fabric which is to be made,considering that the slider cams are to be advanced only so far as toact on the long butts, one of which is provided in each group of fouradjacent jacks, and one at each level of the respective four levels. Forexample, if four slider cams 11E to 11H have cooperated with the longbutts 101H to 104E, they are arranged in a new order in accordance withthe pattern while passed by the following group of jacks 201 to 204which have no butts at the levels E to H.

In order to obtain a pattern which is different than can be obtained bythe long butts only, the slider cams are farther advanced toward theneedle cylinder so as to cooperate with the short butts of the jacks.Selected short butts are omitted, or removed, and for example may besheared off. In the arrangement of FIG. 2, the short butt of jack 103 atthe level G is missing, as are butts 101F, 103E, 101F, 103G, 101F, 103E,and so on so that at each of the levels A to H, butts are omitted in acertain sequence from every second jack.

By removing selected short butts, and by using the maintained long butt,very varied patterns can be made with only eight butts on each jack.Multiple patterns can be obtained in this manner, even patternsrepresenting the letters of the alphabet.

The jacks have two narrower end portions, and a wider center portionbetween the shoulders S and S Recess 300 is formed in the wider centerportion, and the butts project from the wider center portion.

The control and operation of the slider cams 11A to 11H will be bestunderstood with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8. The frame block 16 has acentral cavity 17 between lateral walls in which short slots 18 areprovided near the outer ends of the slider cams. Slots 18 are inclined,and each pair of slots 18 is located in a common plane, as best seen inFIG. 4. Each slider cam has a pair of lateral projections 110 and 110which are guided in a pair of slots 18, see FIG. 5, so that the mainportion of each slider cam is inclined and located in the plane of therespective pair of slots 18, as best seen in FIG. 4. Bore 19 a e povided at the levels of he sl t 18 alternately on opposite sides of theslider cams and house springs 20 which act on the lateral projections ofthe slider cams to urge the same outwardly and away from the needlecylinder and the jacks.

The inner end of the cavity 17 in frame block 16 is closed by a plate 22which is secured by screws to frame block 16. Plate 22 has inclinedslots 220, see FIG. 6, in which the respective sliders cams 11A to 11Hare guided near the inner ends thereof at levels corresponding to thelevels of the respective slots 18.

The stationary inclined cam 12 is mounted on a support 24 which issecured by screws to frame block 16. The ends of the slider cams aretapered as indicated at 11a and in FIG. 5 so that the end portions 11ahave sufficient room in the spaces between adjacent butts of the jacks.

The slider cams are actuated against the action of springs 20 to movetoward the jacks by pairs of cam follower levers 26 and 27 which engagethe outer end of each slider cam under the action of springs 28 and 29.Each cam follower lever is operated by corresponding rotary circular camagainst which the respective cam followers are pressed by springs 28, 29which overcome the action of springs 20. A shaft 31 supports all camfollower levers 26, 27 for angular movement. An assembly of coaxialcircular cams 30 is driven by a shaft 30a so that cams 30 control camfollower levers 26, 27 and thereby actuate the corresponding slidercams. Stop means are provided for excluding either cam follower levers26 or cam follower levers 2'7 from the operation. A stop arm 34 can besecured in a position which prevents movement of cam follower lever 26under the action of spring 28 for advancing a slider cam even if therecess in the corresponding cam 30 would permit such movement. Stopmeans 34 in the illustrated stop position engages an arm 26a of camfollower lever 26.

Another stop member 35 is turnable between three positions in whichthree peripheral portions 35a, 35b and 350, respectively, cooperate withthe arm 27a of lever 27. When stop portion 35c is operative, lever 27cannot move under the action of spring 29. When stop portion 35b isoperative, follower lever 27 can move a certain distance correspondingto the movement of the respective slider cam to a position cooperatingwith the long butts of the jacks. The lowest portion 35a permits turningof lever 27 to a position fully advancing the respective slider cam to aposition cooperating with the short butts of the jacks.

FIG. 8 clearly shows that a pair of cam follower levers 26, 27 cooperatewith each slider cam. Eight pairs of cam follower levers 26, 27 areprovided for eight slider cams 11A to 11H so that a set of eight camfollower levers 26 and a set of eight cam follower levers 27 areprovided, the cam follower levers of each set alternating with the camfollower levers of the other set.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 to 12, which illustrate a modified embodiment,the general arrangement of the slider, cams, jacks, rotary cams, and camfollower levers corresponds to the arrangement described with referenceto FIGS. 3 to 8. A needle cylinder 51 is surrounded by stationarysupport frame 52. A frame block 57 supports the slider cams 56, and asupport 27 supports the stationary cam 12 at the level of the uppermostslider cam. A main feeding station FA, and an auxiliary feeding stationF3 are provided for each selecting station constituted by a set ofslider cams, the corresponding sets of cam follower levers 54 and 55,and rotary cams 53. The ends of a pair' of cam follower levers 54, 55,for example the end portion 54a, cooperates with the outer end of eachslider cam 56. The slider earns 56 cooperate with butts on the jacksunder the control of cam follower levers 55 or 54, respectively, toproduce a tuck stitch pattern as described with reference to FIGS. 3 to8, when cooperating with the long butts, and another pattern whencooperating with the short butts.

A yarn is generally fed only at the main feeding station FA, so that theneedles 59 operated by the jacks under the control of slider cams 56assume the positions indicated by the diagrammatic line 60b in FIG. 12to form a tuck stitch pattern. The path of the needles under the controlof the short butts is indicated at 60a in FIG. 11. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 9 to 12, the yarn of the auxiliary feeding station FB is also usedfor the pattern, so that plain stitches can be made of yarn fed atfeeding station FB while the needles move from the'auxiliary feedingstation FB to the selecting station where the slider cams 56 arelocated.

An auxiliary ascending lifting cam and an auxiliary descending loweringcam 63 are provided and operable during the knitting of the pattern toinfluence the path of the needles as indicated at the point 64 in FIG.11. The needle is raised and lowered again directly before beingselected by a slider cam, and the respective jacks reach the slider camswhen the needles have already been lowered. The following pattern isformed by yarn from the feeding station FA under the control of theslider cams as described above. In this manner, the slider camsdetermine the pattern independently of the plain stitch fabric formed ofthe yarn supplied by the auxiliary feeding station FB. Actually, thepattern is knitted with two yarns supplied by feeding station FA, one ofthe. yarns. being located higher and caught by the needles moving to thehighest position, while the other yarn is located lower and is caught bythe higher moving needlesand by the needles which do not reach thehighest position.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, cams 62 and 63 aremounted on a slide 68 which is mounted on frame block 57 for slidingmovement in radial direction, and is operated by connecting rod 69 andcrank 70 under the control of the pattern control device of the knittingmachine, not shown, in the usual manner. Crank member'70 has an arm 70acooperating with a projecting arm 54b of cam follower levers 54 toinactivate the same when cams 62, 63' are withdrawn and inoperative.

A stop member 72, corresponding to stop member 34 of FIG. 7, cooperateswith projecting arms 55a of cam follower levers 55 to prevent theknitting of a tuck stitch pattern when a different pattern is desired.

It will be understood that thedrawings illustrate only preferredembodiments of the invention by way of example, and that variousmodifications of the invention are possible without departingfrom thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axially extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves for sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jacks having butts disposed at eightcircumferential levels, a first group of four. jacks having butts atfour adjacent levels located along a first circumferential arc, and asecond group of four jacks having butts at four other adjacent levelslocated along a second circumferential arc, each group of jacks havingshort butts of the same length at the respective four adjacent levels,and each jack of each group having one long butt, said long butts beinglocated at different levels and adapted to cause the formation oftuckstitches by the respective needles, selected butts of said shortbutts being adapted to be omitted for forming a selected patterndifferent from the tuck stitch pattern; a stationary structure includinga support; eight slider cams inclined to the axis of said needlecylinder and to said levels, and mounted on said support at said levels,respectively, for movement between a retracted position and an operativeposition for engaging said butts at the corresponding levels for liftingthe respective jacks and needles; an assembly of coaxial rotary camssupported on said structure for turning movement about am ze an axisparallel to said axis; cam followef me-ans con= trolled by said rotarycams and respectively acting on said slider cam-s, said cam followermeans including two sets of eight cam follower levers, respectively; ashaft supporting said cam follower levers and being parallel to saidaxis of said needle cylinder, the cam follower levers of each setalternating with the cam follower levers of the other set, each camfollower lever being controlled by a corresponding rotary cam, twoadjacent cam follower levers of said two sets controlling the sameslider cam for shifting the same between said positions; and means forpreventing operation of said slider cams by all the cam follower leversof each set.

2. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axially extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves for sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jacks having butts disposed at eightcircumferential levels, each jack having a wider center portion and twonarrower end portions and a pair of shoulders between said centerportions and said narrower end portions, one of said shoulders beinglocated at one of said levels, a first group of four jacks having onsaid center portion butts at four adjacent levels located along a firstcircumferential arc, and a second group of four jacks having on saidcenter portion butts at four other adjacent levels located along asecond circumferential arc, each group of jacks having short butts ofthe same length at the respective four adjacent levels, and each jack ofeach group having one long butt, said long butts being located atdifferent levels and adapted to cause the formation of tuck stitches bythe respective needles, selected butts of said short butts being adaptedto be omitted for forming a selected pattern different from the tuckstitch pattern; a stationary structure including a support; eight slidercams inclined to the axis of said needle cylinder and to said levels,and mounted on said support at said levels, respectively, for movementbetween a retracted position and an operative position for'en'gagingsaid butts at the corresponding levels for lifting the respective jacksand needles; an assembly of coaxial rotary cams supported on saidstructure for turning movement about an axis parallel to said axis; camfollower means controlled by said rotary cams and respectively acting onsaid slider cams; and means for selectively disconnecting said rotarycams and said cam follower means from said slider cams so that therespective jacks are not operated.

3. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axially extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves fof sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jack-s having butts disposed at eightcircumferential levels, each jack having a wider center portion and twonarrower end portions and a pair of shoulders between said centerportions and said narrower end portions, one of said shoulders beinglocated at one of said levels, a first group of four jacks having onsaid center portion butts at four adjacent levels located along a firstcircumferential arc, and a second group of four jacks having on saidcenter portion butts at four other adjacent levels located along asecond circumferential arc, each group of jacks having short butts ofthe same length at the respective four adjacent levels, and. each jackof each group having one long butt, said long butts being located atdifferent levels and adapted to cause the formation of tuck stitches bythe respective needles, selected butts of said short butts being adaptedto be omitted for forming a selected pattern different from the tuckstitch pattern; a stationary structure including a support; eight slidercams inclined to the axis of said needle cylinder and to said levels,and mounted on said support at said levels, respectively, for movementbetween a retracted. position and an operative position for engagingsaid butts at the corresponding levels for lifting the respective jacksand needles; an assembly of coaxial rotary cams supported on saidstructure for turning movement about an axis parallel to said axis; camfollower means controlled by said rotary cams and respectively acting onsaid slider cams, said cam follower means including two sets of eightcarn follower levers, respectively; a shaft supporting said cam followerlevers and being parallel to said axis of said needle cylinder, the camfollower levers of each set alternating with the cam follower levers ofthe other set, each cam follower lever being controlled by acorresponding rotary cam, two adjacent cam follower levers of said twosets controlling the same slider cam for shifting the same between saidpositions; and means for preventing operation of said slider cams by allthe cam follower levers of each set.

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axially extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves for sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jacks having butts disposed at a selectednumber of circumferential levels, a first group of jacks having butts atadjacent levels located along a first circumferential arc, and a secondgroup of jacks having butts at other adjacent levels located along asecond circumferential arc, each jack of said first group having arecess at the uppermost level of the second group, each group of jackshaving short butts of the same length at the respective adjacent levels,and each jack of each group having one long butt, said long butts beinglocated at different levels and adapted to cause the formation of tuckstitches by the respective needles, a stationary structure including asupport; slider cams inclined to the axis of said needle cylinder and tosaid levels, and mounted on said support at said levels, respectively,for movement between a retracted position and an operative position forengaging said butts at the corresponding levels for lifting therespective jacks and needles; a stationary cam at said uppermost levelof said recesses and being inclined to said level and to the axis ofsaid needle cylinder for engaging said recesses of each jack operated byone of said slider cams for rising the respective jack to a higherlevel; an assembly of coaxial rotary cams supported on said structurefor turning movement about an axis parallel to said axis; cam followermeans controlled by said rotary cams and respectively acting on saidslider cams; and means for selectively disconnecting said rotary camsand said cam follower means from said slider cams so that the respectivejacks are not operated.

5. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axially extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves for sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jacks having butts disposed at eightcircumferential levels, a first group of four jacks having butts at fouradjacent levels located along a first circumferential arc, and a secondgroup of four jacks having butts at four other adjacent levels locatedalong a second circumferential arc, each jack of said first group havinga recess at the uppermost level of the second group, each group of jackshaving short butts of the same length at the respective four adjacentlevels, and each jack of each group having one long butt, said longbutts being located at different levels and adapted to cause theformation of tuck stitches by the respective needles, selected butts ofsaid short butts being adapted to be omitted for forming a selectedpattern different from the tuck stitch pattern, a stationary structureincluding a support; eight slider cams inclined to the axis of saidneedle cylinder and to said levels, and mounted on said support at saidlevels, respectively, for movement between a retracted position and anoperative position for engaging said butts at the corresponding levelsfor lifting the respective jacks and needles; a stationary cam at saiduppermost level of said recesses and being inclined to said level and tothe axis of said needle cylinder for engaging said recesses of each jackoperated by one of said slider cams for rising the respective jack to ahigher level; an assembly of coaxial rotary cams supported on saidstructure for turning movement about an axis parallel to said axis; camfollower means controlled by said rotary cams and respectively acting onsaid slider cams; and means for selectively disconnecting said rotarycams and said cam follower means from said slider cams so that therespective jacks are not operated.

6. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axially extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves for sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jacks having butts disposed at eightcircumferential levels, a first group of four jacks having butts at fouradjacent levels located along a first circumferential arc, and a secondgroup of four acks having butts at four other adjacent levels locatedalong a second circumferential are, each jack of said first group havinga recess at the uppermost level of the second group, each group of jackshaving short butts of the same length at the respective four adjacentlevels, and each jack of each group having one long butt, said longbutt-s being located at different levels and adapted to cause theformation of tuck stitches by the respective needles, selected butts ofsaid short butts being adapted to be omitted for forming a selectedpattern different from the tuck stitch pattern; a stationary structureincluding a support; eight slider cams inclined to the axis of saidneedle cylinder and to said levels, and mounted on said support at saidlevels, respectively, for movement between a retracted position and anoperative position for engaging said butts at the corresponding levelsfor lifting the respective jacks and needles; a stationary cam at saiduppermost level of said recesses and being inclrned to said level and tothe axis of said needle cylrnder for engaging said recesses of each jackoperated by one of said slider cams for rising the respective jack to ahigher level; an assembly of coaxial rotary cams supported on saidstructure for turning movement about an axis parallel to said axis; camfollower means controlled by said rotary cams and respectively acting onsaid slider cams, said cam follower means including two sets of eightcam follower levers, respectively; a shaft supporting said cam followerlevers and being parallel to said axis of said needle cylinder, the camfollower levers of each set alternating with the cam follower levers ofthe other set, each cam follower lever being controlled by acorresponding rotary cam, two adacent cam follower levers of said twosets controlling thesame slider cam for shifting the same between saidpositions; and means for preventing operation of said sllder cams by allthe cam follower levers of each set.

7. A circular knitting machine as set forth in claim {5 and including amain feeding station, and an auxrliary feeding station; a slide operableparallel to said slider cams and mounted on said structure; controlmeans for shifting said slide to and from an operative position; alifting cam and a lowering cam mounted on said slide and beingpositioned so as to operate the needles before said jacks operate saidneedles under the control of said slider cams and adapted to causeformation of a course of plain stitches of yarn fed by said auxiliaryfeeding station before said needles form a pattern under the control ofsaid jacks.

8. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axially extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves for sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jacks having butts disposed at eightcircumferential levels, a first group of four jacks having butts at fouradjacent levels located along a first circumferential arc, and a secondgroup of four jacks having butts at four other adjacent levels locatedalong a second circumferential are, each group of jacks having shortbutts of the same length at the respective four adjacent levels, andeach jack of each group having one long butt, said long butts beinglocated at different levels and adapted to cause the formation of tuckstitches by the respective needles, selected butts of said short buttsbeing adapted to be omitted for forming a selected pattern differentfrom the stitch pattern; a stationary structure including a support;eight slider cams inclined to the axis of said needle cylinder and tosaid levels, and mounted on said support at said levels, respectively,for movement between a retracted position and an operative position forengaging said butts at the corresponding levels for lifting therespective jacks and needles; an assembly of coaxial rotary camssupported on said structure for turning movement about an axis parallelto said axis; cam follower means controlled by said rotary cams andrespectively acting on said slider cams, said cam follower meansincluding two sets of eight cam follower levers, respectively; a shaftsupporting said cam follower levers and being parallel to said axis ofsaid needle cylinder, the cam follower levers of each set alternatingwith the cam follower levers of the other set, each cam follower leverbeing controlled by a corresponding rotary cam, two adjacent camfollower levers of said two sets controlling the same slider cam forshifting the same between said positions; spring means acting on saidcam follower levers to urge the same toward said rotary cams; andcontrol stop means cooperating with said cam follower levers of each ofsaid sets to prevent selected follower cam levers from actuating therespective slider cams.

9. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder having an axis and axailly extending grooves; needles disposedin said grooves for sliding movement; jacks mounted in said grooves forlifting said needles, said jacks having butts disposed at eightcircumferential levels, a first group of four jacks having butts at fouradjacent levels located along a first circumferential arc, and a secondgroup of four jacks having butts at four other adjacentlevels locatedalong a second circumferential are, each group of jacks having shortbutts of the same length in the respective four adjacent levels, andeach jack of each group having one long butt, said long butts beinglocated at different levels and adapted to cause the formation of tuckstitches by the respective needles, selected butts of said short buttsbeing adapted to be omitted for forming a selected pattern differentfrom the tuck stitch pattern; a stationary structure including asupport; eight slider cams inclined to the axis of said needle cylinderand to said levels, and mounted on said support at said levels,respectively, for movement between a retracted position and an operativeposition for engaging said butts at the corresponding levels for liftingthe respective jacks and needles; an assembly of coaxial rotary camssupported on said structure for turning movement about an axis parallelto said axis; cam follower means controlled by said rotary cams andrespectively acting on said slider cams, said cam follower meansincluding two sets of eight cam follower levers, respectively; a shaftsupporting said cam follower levers and being parallel to said axis ofsaid needle cylinder, the cam follower levers of each set alternatingwith the cam follower levers of the other set, each cam follower leverbeing controlled by a corresponding rotary cam, two adjacent camfollower levers of said two sets controlling the same slider cam forshifting the same between said positions; spring means acting on saidcam follower levers to urge the same toward said rotary cams; firstcontrol stop means cooperating with said cam follower cams of one ofsaid sets and having a position for preventing the same from actuatingthe respective slider cams; and second control stop means having twostop portions and being movable between an inoperative position and twooperative positions in which said stop portions are respectivelyeffective and cooperate with said cam follower levers of the other setto prevent in one position actuation of the respective slider cam and inanother position full advance of the respective slider cams.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,337,189 12/1943Green 6650 X 2,872,796 2/1959 Peel 66--50 2,881,604 4/1959 Billi 66-403,066,508 12/1962 Mazzi 66-50 3,076,326 5/1963 Mazzi 665O DONALD W.PARKER, Primary Examiner. RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner.

1. IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, A ROTARY NEEDLECYLINDER HAVING AN AXIS AND AXIALLY EXTENDING GROOVES; NEEDLES DISPOSEDIN SAID GROOVES FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT; JACKS MOUNTED IN SAID GROOVES FORLIFTING SAID NEEDLES, SAID JACKS HAVING BUTTS DISPOSED AT EIGHTCIRCUMFERENTIAL LEVELS, A FIRST GROUP OF FOUR JACKS HAVING BUTTS AT FOURADJACENT LEVELS LOCATED ALONG A FIRST CIRCUMFERENTIAL ARC, AND A SECONDGROUP OF FOUR JACKS HAVING BUTTS AT FOUR OTHER ADJACENT LEVELS LOCATEDALONG A SECOND CIRCUMFERENTIAL ARC, EACH GROUP OF JACKS HAVING SHORTBUTTS OF THE SAME LENGTH AT THE RESPECTIVE FOUR ADJACENT LEVELS, ANDEACH JACK OF EACH GROUP HAVING ONE LONG BUTT, SAID LONG BUTTS BEINGLOCATED AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND ADAPTED TO CAUSE THE FORMATION OFTUCKSTITCHES BY THE RESPECTIVE NEEDLES, SELECTED BUTTS OF SAID SHORTBUTTS BEING ADAPTED TO BE OMITTED FOR FORMING A SELECTED PATTERNDIFFERENT FROM THE TUCK STITCH PATTERN; A STATIONARY STRUCTURE INCLUDINGA SUPPORT; EIGHT SLIDER CAMS INCLINED TO THE AXIS OF SAID NEEDLECYLINDER AND TO SAID LEVELS, AND MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AT SAID LEVELS,RESPECTIVELY, FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION AND AN OPERATIVEPOSITION FOR ENGAGING SAID BUTTS AT THE CORRESPONDING LEVELS FOR LIFTINGTHE RESPECTIVE JACKS AND NEEDLES; AN ASSEMBLY OF COAXIAL ROTARY CAMSSUPPORTED ON SAID STRUCTURE FOR TURNING MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLELTO SAID AXIS; CAM FOLLOWER MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID ROTARY CAMS ANDRESPECTIVELY ACTING ON SAID SLIDER CAMS, SAID CAM FOLLOWER MEANSINCLUDING TWO SETS OF EIGHT CAM FOLLOWER LEVERS, RESPECTIVELY; A SHAFTSUPPORTING SAID CAM FOLLOWER LEVERS AND BEING PARALLEL TO SAID AXIS OFSAID NEEDLE CYLINDER, THE CAM FOLLOWER LEVERS OF EACH SET ALTERNATINGWITH THE CAM FOLLOWER LEVERS OF THE OTHER SET, EACH CAM FOLLOWER LEVERBEING CONTROLLED BY A CORRESPONDING ROTARY CAM, TWO ADJACENT CAMFOLLOWER LEVERS OF SAID TWO SETS CONTROLLING THE SAME SLIDER CAM FORSHIFTING THE SAME BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS; AND MEANS FOR PREVENTINGOPERATION OF SAID SLIDER CAMS BY ALL THE CAM FOLLOWER LEVERS OF EACHSET.